YouTube Boosts Oscars Ratings to 5-Year High

As the curtains closed on the 2025 Oscars, a sense of relief washed over the Dolby Theatre. The ceremony, which drew a respectable 19.7 million viewers, marked a five-year high, but it was a far cry from the glory days of the 1990s, when 55 million people tuned in to witness the sweep of Titanic. The Academy's struggles to regain its former luster have been well-documented, but few could have predicted the seismic shift that was about to shake the very foundations of Hollywood's most iconic night. Behind the scenes, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had been quietly exploring alternatives to its decades-long partnership with ABC, which was set to expire in 2028. The writing was on the wall: traditional broadcasting was no longer the only game in town. As the Academy's CEO Bill Kramer and president Lynette Howell Taylor would later reveal, YouTube's bid had eclipsed what traditional broadcasters were willing to offer, securing the platform exclusive global streaming rights to the Oscars from 2029 through 2033. The deal marks a fundamental shift in how Hollywood honors itself, and it's a move that has been years in the making. The Academy's struggles to adapt to the changing media landscape have been well-documented, but this partnership represents a clear acknowledgment of the ceremony's diminished grip on American culture. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the Oscars' relevance has been called into question. Can a ceremony that once defined the zeitgeist of an entire nation still hold sway in a world where global entertainment is just a click away? The answer, it seems, lies in embracing the very forces that have contributed to the ceremony's decline. By partnering with YouTube, the Academy is recognizing that the future of the Oscars lies not in traditional broadcasting, but in the vast, untapped potential of the digital age. The platform's global reach and versatility offer a tantalizing prospect: the Oscars, once confined to the living rooms of America, can now be experienced by audiences around the world. But what does this mean for the future of the ceremony? Will the Oscars become a more global, more inclusive event, or will it risk losing its very essence in the process? The answer, much like the future of the Oscars itself, remains uncertain. One thing is clear, however: the Academy's decision to partner with YouTube marks a bold new chapter in the history of Hollywood's most iconic night. "We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming," Kramer and Taylor said in a joint statement. "The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand our reach and engage with audiences in new and innovative ways." As the Academy embarks on this new journey, it's worth remembering that the Oscars have always been a reflection of the world we live in. From the early days of cinema to the present, the ceremony has consistently pushed the boundaries of storytelling, reflecting the hopes, fears, and aspirations of an ever-changing world. As the Academy looks to the future, it's clear that the Oscars will continue to evolve, adapting to the shifting tides of global culture. The question, then, is not whether the Oscars will survive in this new era, but how they will thrive. Will the ceremony become a more global, more inclusive event, or will it risk losing its very essence in the process? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the Academy's decision to partner with YouTube marks a bold new chapter in the history of Hollywood's most iconic night. As the curtains close on the 2025 Oscars, the world waits with bated breath to see what the future holds for the ceremony that once defined the zeitgeist of an entire nation.